Tenn. deputies get high-powered rifles

By Jacqueline KochChattanooga Times Free Press

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. — New rifles issued to Hamilton County Sheriff's Office deputies will put more power in the hands of patrol officers, who may face increasingly violent criminals with high-powered weapons, officials said.

"It's small, lightweight and easy to carry," said school resource officer Breeland Kilgore, who also served on the SWAT team. "And with three magazines, we can carry more firepower. Having these added to our resources will help us face what's on the street."